Thursday 5 July 1280, Early Morning (Crossing the Coldstream)

*************************
(Wednesday 4 July 1280, Night)

You relax and enjoy a leisurely dinner prepared by Sal and served up by Sadie, engaging in casual conversation and listening to the tales told by the locals. Oloc is very much interested in the new rumors collected about the ruins and the dungeons beneath. Before turning in for the night he has a drink or two, mulling over the new information. "Perhaps we can combine this scouting mission with an exploratory pass into the ruins?" he says.  The party considers this option, and various other points of the mission north. Varros suggests that the party meet half an hour before daylight to eat and prepare to depart for the scouting trip. Soon the locals begin to head home, and as it is clear no further information can be gathered about the road north, or the ruins and dungeons beneath, you decide to retire for the night.

*************************

Thursday 5 July 1280

Gaven awakes before the rest of the group and proceeds to the temple for morning prayers and meditation. He then stops to pick up his silvered club. As promised, a young halfling apprentice is awake and waiting to hand the club over.

As the pre-dawn sky slowly brightens, Gaven returns to the Tankard for breakfast with the others. Duran is oiling his bow, and Oloc seems to have just finished his spell preparation. In addition to his own breakfast, Varros seems to have picked up some meat from Sal and the fighter is feeding some small bits to Karnak, who now sits on the edge of the table.

Sal passes near the table as he does his morning chores, and leans in to talk to Karnak. "You're a handsome fellow!" he says in a gentle, cheerful voice. Then he looks at the rest of you. "You might not want to let Sadie see that, though. As clean as she tries to keep these tables, she might have a fit."

As if he understands, Karnak gives a squawk and flutters back out through the window. "What on earth was that sound?" asks Sadie, just coming down the stairs. Sal shrugs in feigned ignorance and returns to the kitchen.

As you make a final gear check, Varros suggests that the party take the main road to the inn that Belloc mentioned. He also suggests that the group keep a low profile while on the road by posing as simple travelers. The fighter is concerned that the goblins may have scouts of their own, and he is worried that they may even have disreputable humans working in conjunction with them. He asks that once the party leaves town they maintain this cover story for those they may encounter.

This seems to make sense to everyone, and those in armor cover themselves in traveling cloaks to make their martial nature less conspicuous, before heading out the door.

The morning is cool and the day promises to be warm, but not hot. As the party passes through the north gate onto the road, the sun just peeks over the horizon. Karnak flies high above the party, moving in wide circles along the party's route. Varros thinks it likely the raven will provide the party advance warning of any danger that may be in their path.

After about two hours' march you reach the stone bridge across the Coldstream. The sound of the rushing water adds a pleasant accent to your march through the countryside.

From the bridge, the road runs due north. For almost another two-and-a-half hours, you follow it until off in the distance, from atop a low rise, you can make out the branch eastward that Captain Belloc had mentioned, along with what must be the inn, maybe just a quarter mile down the east fork.

Descending the rise, continuing toward the fork, you are led by the highway past a small field of tall, wild brush, maybe four to five feet high, that reaches right up to the west edge of the road. As you approach it, the brush rustles and sways as if something is moving within. You also hear a sporadic chatter-like clicking sound. Karnak continues to circle above you, either not noticing anything about the field of brush, or else not concerned.

*************************

OOC: Actions?

I forgot to mention in my OOC to the last post, Duran and Varros are back up to full hp, thanks to the salve from Abbot Cuthbert.

The hex map here obviously represents the red lined area that Belloc pointed out to you. The outer hex being roughly 25 miles across, each smaller hex is about 3 miles, or one comfortable hour's march. You are currently in hex 40, heading north, just shy of the fork. The patch of brush is just at the west edge of the road to your left. The patch is clearly too small to be one of the "scrub-filled low spots that could hide a host [of goblins] that size" mentioned by Belloc earlier.

The current time is about 9:30 a.m.